Worse Score This Time by 10%

[YL-2017]

I took the exam last April and got 54% and this time I got 44%. I studied much more this past time and even when going through the exam, I felt very confident in my answers. I did the test booklet first and then transferred it over the Scranton. Remembering back to the test, I feel like I did go back and check to make sure both sheets matched up. Is it possible I could have been off by a line? I know I got the geometrics stuff right, but got 0/3 this time.

Should I retake this test a 3rd time or just give up? I feel like I should give up.

I think you are already aware that all the wrong choices are designed to trick you if you have made a mistake.  You may have fell for many of those traps.  My advice is to study the material much slower but more careful this time.  

Also, my experience with the practice exam tells me that do not choose the nearest number if your calculated number does not hit any of the four.   Even it does, double check it.  

 

[wyman]

I did SOPE for the April 2017 exam

I used my SoPE materials more than the CERM. I could see how someone who failed with a larger deficit in the PM section would find SoPE wanting - it's really just a refresher, and doesn't go nearly as deep into the PM material.

 

[smrob]

@caychanh, I think that 5% discount is the only one they offer.  I unfortunately signed up too late to get it last time.  I totally agree that the exams seemed so different.  I actually thought the wording of a lot of questions in the April 2017 exam was confusing.     I think Nazrul with EET does such a good job at explaining the concepts.  Still don't know my results, but I felt like I really understood more of what I was doing this time around thanks to EET.  

@btkist, best of luck with studying!  Congratulations!!!  Hope your wedding in wonderful and the PE is far behind you at that point!

 

[smrob]

I used my SoPE materials more than the CERM. I could see how someone who failed with a larger deficit in the PM section would find SoPE wanting - it's really just a refresher, and doesn't go nearly as deep into the PM material.

Agreed.  I did use the SOPE material more than the CERM for the AM portion.  I think SOPE's breadth review is pretty good.  EET's WRE depth review is better.

 

[bflem]

I did the EET review for civil/structural and cannot praise them enough. And just in case you need to feel better about how you did, I just failed for the fifth time. I'm a horrible test taker.  I am going to keep taking it until I pass or NCEES tells me I can't take it anymore (ha, not really). Keep your head up!

 

[CivilGuy00]

@smrob I am super close to doing EET Depth WRE. The binder alone seems to be a great resource for the test. Would you say you used that EET binder for the majority of the exam? 

 

[CivilGuy00]

I did the EET review for civil/structural and cannot praise them enough. And just in case you need to feel better about how you did, I just failed for the fifth time. I'm a horrible test taker.  I am going to keep taking it until I pass or NCEES tells me I can't take it anymore (ha, not really). Keep your head up!

Crap dude that sucks...just plain sucks. I am sorry to hear it. 

 

[bflem]

Yeah thanks. I've learned to deal with it. FE took me 5 times, Military advancement exams multiple times. I really am a crappy test taker. That said, I've found that I eventually get it and am not going to give up.

 

[smrob]

@smrob I am super close to doing EET Depth WRE. The binder alone seems to be a great resource for the test. Would you say you used that EET binder for the majority of the exam? 

I probably used it for all but 5 of the questions.  The binder is an excellent resource.  I've now got it on my shelf at work and pulled it out last week to refresh myself on some pump curve info.

 

[txjennah PE]

Yeah thanks. I've learned to deal with it. FE took me 5 times, Military advancement exams multiple times. I really am a crappy test taker. That said, I've found that I eventually get it and am not going to give up.

Keep going.  You got this!  It's a really hard exam.  You'll get it.  

 

[CivilGuy00]

Yeah thanks. I've learned to deal with it. FE took me 5 times, Military advancement exams multiple times. I really am a crappy test taker. That said, I've found that I eventually get it and am not going to give up.

I hear ya. FE took me four times to pass and that fourth time it seemed super easy. Blew right through it. Hopefully the next PE for us will be the same. 

 

[CivilGuy00]

I probably used it for all but 5 of the questions.  The binder is an excellent resource.  I've now got it on my shelf at work and pulled it out last week to refresh myself on some pump curve info.

And that's for both sessions? See that right there is great. And were you confident in your answers on all those questions? If so, it would seem like you will pass with flying colors! 

 

[caychanh]

I saw this on the Texas board.  Does that mean I will have to resubmit SERs and other application info if I don't pass the third time in April?  Looks like its a sign to take the EET course.

In the standard application system, I get 4 consecutive attempts to take the exam. If I start taking them early, will that still be the case?
No, the system of accounting of permitted exam attempts has changed. Previously, once approved for the PE exam, an applicant received four consecutive exam attempts to pass the exam. If a person was sick, was late to the exam, opted to not take the exam, or had another issue, that counted as one of the four attempts.

The new model is that each approved applicant / EIT will receive three total attempts to take the PE exam. That means three times that you actually sat for the exam and received some sort of result (pass / fail / invalidated, etc) So, if you are sick or miss an exam, that will not count against you. However, once you have taken the first exam, you must use the three attempts in a four year window.

 

[txjennah PE]

I saw this on the Texas board.  Does that mean I will have to resubmit SERs and other application info if I don't pass the third time in April?  Looks like its a sign to take the EET course.

In the standard application system, I get 4 consecutive attempts to take the exam. If I start taking them early, will that still be the case?
No, the system of accounting of permitted exam attempts has changed. Previously, once approved for the PE exam, an applicant received four consecutive exam attempts to pass the exam. If a person was sick, was late to the exam, opted to not take the exam, or had another issue, that counted as one of the four attempts.

The new model is that each approved applicant / EIT will receive three total attempts to take the PE exam. That means three times that you actually sat for the exam and received some sort of result (pass / fail / invalidated, etc) So, if you are sick or miss an exam, that will not count against you. However, once you have taken the first exam, you must use the three attempts in a four year window.

Yep correct.  I am in Texas too so have one more shot.

 

[smrob]

And that's for both sessions? See that right there is great. And were you confident in your answers on all those questions? If so, it would seem like you will pass with flying colors! 

I only took the EET WRE Depth course, so didn't have their AM binder.  So, I used my SOPE binder for a good portion of the AM and the EET binder for all of the WR in the AM and then almost all of the PM. 

You know...it's hard to tell you how confident I feel.  If I knew a problem, I knew it, ya know? There were certainly those that I struggled on.  The concept problems are by far the hardest to me.  I don't have my results yet.  I've wavered between confidence and the feeling of failure a million times at this point.

 

[fujichan]

I took EET WR Depth too and would highly recommend it. I did the on demand course because I felt that it worked best for my study schedule. The binder alone is worth the $500 - there are a bazillion questions to work through which I found worked for me. I didn’t necessarily find the lectures that helpful except when I was really unsure with a topic (mainly water treatment for me) but that’s probably just me. I found it so much easier to work through problems than watch a video late a night (when I could fit in the studying). Nazrul is a massive help and is so responsive, he really seems to care about you as an individual.

So, I’m still in the dark (thanks Colorado) but I know there’s no way I could have even attempted WRE without EET.

 

[SacMe24]

Man sorry to hear it. Fail number 2 for me yesterday. This thing is a brutal SOB. What does your state say about the number of times you can take it?

In California, at least for Mechanical, I haven't seen a limit, but as a personal goal I'd like to keep it in the single digits  .. if.. IF I decide to put myself through this again.

 

[SacMe24]

Yeah thanks. I've learned to deal with it. FE took me 5 times, Military advancement exams multiple times. I really am a crappy test taker. That said, I've found that I eventually get it and am not going to give up.

My hat off to you sir... I just found out yesterday that I failed the Mechanical MDM for the third time and find myself really thinking about whether I want to do this again or not. Being that this is more of a personal goal and not required by my government employer, I'm having a hard time justifying it.... ugh...good luck to you next time!

 

[SacMe24]

Yeah thanks. I've learned to deal with it. FE took me 5 times, Military advancement exams multiple times. I really am a crappy test taker. That said, I've found that I eventually get it and am not going to give up.

My hat off to you sir... I just found out yesterday that I failed the Mechanical MDM for the third time and find myself really thinking about whether I want to do this again or not. Being that this is more of a personal goal and not required by my government employer, I'm having a hard time justifying it.... ugh...good luck to you next time!

 

[SacMe24]

Yeah thanks. I've learned to deal with it. FE took me 5 times, Military advancement exams multiple times. I really am a crappy test taker. That said, I've found that I eventually get it and am not going to give up.

My hat off to you sir... I just found out yesterday that I failed the Mechanical MDM for the third time and find myself really thinking about whether I want to do this again or not. Being that this is more of a personal goal and not required by my government employer, I'm having a hard time justifying it.... ugh...good luck to you next time!